Ava's hand trembled slightly as she opened the envelope. The paper inside felt heavy, as if it carried the weight of her past. Her eyes scanned the taunting message from the Phantom:
"You're closer than you think. The answer lies where your heart once shattered."
The words were like a blade, cutting through her composure. She knew exactly where the Phantom was pointing her—her family's old summer estate, the place where she had last seen her mother alive. It was a place filled with ghosts and memories she had tried to bury.
Liam, sensing her turmoil, stepped closer. "What does it say?"
Ava swallowed hard, fighting back the tears that threatened to spill. "It's leading us to my family's estate. The Phantom is toying with me."
Liam's jaw tightened. "Then that's where we go. We'll face whatever is there together."
